NFL insider predicts midseason Sam Darnold trade

Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones will be successful while the Vikings will go over their 6.5 projected win total, according to Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr.

Orr put out his 100 predictions for the upcoming NFL season Thursday and he has good fortunes for the Vikings in 2024.

New Vikings QB Sam Darnold is set for big things if Orr’s crystal ball is correct. The 2024 season will be the ‘season of Sam Darnold,’ says the SI writer, though it all won’t be with Minnesota.

“The 2018 No. 3 pick of the Jets will have a short runway as the Minnesota Vikings’ starter before he gets traded before the Nov. 5 deadline to a contender that has an injured starter, paving the way for the J.J. McCarthy era to begin in Minnesota,” Orr prognosticated.

If Darnold indeed is a trade candidate at the deadline, it would assume the journeyman QB has shown flashes of success in Minnesota. That success from Darnold will be helpful in the Vikings overcoming their low projected win total, according to Orr’s next Vikings prediction.

“This is easy money, folks,” said Orr, projecting the Vikings will surpass their 6.5 projected win total. “The Vikings are going to start Sam Darnold and have some soft pockets on their schedule. Kevin O’Connell is a swashbuckler of a coach and this offense can move mountains.”

Orr sticks with the offensive predictions for Minnesota, signaling that new running back Aaron Jones will be a hit in the Kevin O’Connell offense.

“The former Packers running back will excel in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, serving as a trusty safety valve for both Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, whenever McCarthy assumes the full-time starting role,” wrote Orr, who predicted that Jones will catch more than 35 passes this season.

Jones was a dynamic threat in seven seasons in Green Bay, racking up 5,940 rushing yards and 2,076 receiving yards. The veteran running back caught more than 40 passes in four straight seasons from 2019 to 2022.

Despite ranking top 10 in yards each of the past two seasons, the Vikings have not had a pass-catching running back to open up their offense. If Jones defies the well established running back age curve, then Orr’s previous two predictions will have an even greater chance of coming true.